evalution of"body packer syndrome" in Kerman

placement of narcotics inside intestinal tract of passengers and their illegal transfer through police stations and customs is called body packer or body bagger syndrome.in other parts of the world transfer of cocaine by this method has been reported.this prospective study was done with the help of Anti-narcotic Agency on the transfer of opium and heroin packages from Fenruary 1996 to January 1997.through this period of time 221 smugglers(216 MEN AND 5 WOMEN) WERE DETAINED,WHO HAD INGESTED THE DRUG,AVERAGE AGE OF MEN WERE 45 YEARS AND WOMEN 28 YEARS.THESE SMUGGLERS WERE TAKEN CARE OF IN THE PRISON INFIRMARY AND WITH THE USE OF 30G TO 50G OF CASTER OIL,202 OF THEM DEFECATED THE OACKAGES.HOWEVER THREE OF THE SUBJECTS HAD become poisoned,and another had intestinal obstruction,these four patients were transferred to the hospital.a total of 15 drug poisoning(opium or heroin) were observed because some of the drug packages were ruptured inside the body,all of these cases were hospitalized.in the case of those poisoned with the drug laparatomy was performed following treatment and the pachages were removed.mortality rate of this group was 26% .the weight of the opium carried by these smugglers  was 64.55kg which was packaged inside 6043 bags and heroin weighed about 11.273kg and was pachaged inside 1599 bags.since these cases can be observed in other of Iran,this report is published to inform other collegues.